7 min read · Finishing materials

Doors, windows and glass — teak, UPVC, aluminium and glass types explained

Doors and windows define your home's security, thermal comfort, acoustic performance and aesthetic character. The right material choice for each location makes a lasting difference.

Simple summary — for homeowners

For your main entrance door, teak wood remains the gold standard — it is strong, beautiful and termite-resistant. For interior doors, good quality plywood flush doors with a teak veneer are practical and cost-effective. For windows, UPVC is the best choice for Bengaluru — it provides excellent thermal and sound insulation, requires almost no maintenance, and does not warp or rust. For all glass in doors and low-level panels, always specify toughened glass — plain float glass shatters into dangerous shards. WPC doors are ideal for bathrooms where moisture resistance is critical.

Door types comparison

Type
Strength
Durability
Maintenance
Termite res.
Cost/sqft
Teak wood
Excellent
50+ years
Medium
Excellent
₹800–2500/sqft
Sal wood
Very good
40+ years
Medium
Good
₹500–1200/sqft
Plywood flush door
Good
15–25 years
Low
Fair
₹200–600/sqft
WPC door
Good
20–30 years
Very low
Excellent
₹350–800/sqft
UPVC door
Good
30+ years
Very low
Excellent
₹400–900/sqft
Steel door
Excellent
30+ years
Medium
Excellent
₹300–700/sqft
Aluminium door
Good
30+ years
Low
Excellent
₹350–800/sqft

Window types comparison

Type
Thermal
Sound
Maintenance
Durability
Cost/sqft
UPVC window
Excellent
Excellent
Very low
30+ years
₹350–700/sqft
Aluminium window
Good
Good
Low
25+ years
₹250–550/sqft
Wooden window
Good
Good
High
20–30 years
₹400–900/sqft
Steel window
Poor
Fair
Medium
25+ years
₹200–400/sqft
GI mesh window
None
None
Low
15+ years
₹80–150/sqft

Glass types — safety and performance

Glass type
Thickness
Safety behaviour
Note
Clear float glass
4–12mm
Breaks into shards
Standard — not for doors or large panels
Toughened (tempered)
6–12mm
Breaks into small granules
Mandatory for all doors and low-level glazing
Laminated glass
6.4–12.8mm
Holds together when broken
Best safety glass — interlayer holds shards
Double glazed (IGU)
20–28mm total
As per inner pane type
Excellent thermal and acoustic insulation
Reflective glass
6–8mm
As float glass
Reduces solar heat gain significantly
Frosted glass
4–8mm
As float glass
Provides privacy while allowing light

UPVC vs Aluminium windows

Aluminium windows
Slim profiles — more glass area
Strong — suitable for large spans
Available in powder coat colours
Conducts heat — less thermal insulation
Requires re-coating after 10–15 years
Good choice for large commercial openings
UPVC windows
Excellent thermal insulation — lower AC bills
Excellent sound insulation — important near roads
Zero maintenance — never paint or polish
Multi-point locking — better security
Available in wood-finish textures
Best choice for most Bengaluru homes

Door hardware essentials

Mortise lock vs cylindrical lock
Mortise locks are embedded into the door body — much stronger than cylindrical locks that sit on the surface. Always specify mortise locks for main and bedroom doors.
Door closers
Hydraulic door closers prevent doors from slamming and reduce wear on hinges and frames. Essential for main doors and heavy fire doors.
Hinges
Use stainless steel or brass hinges — never mild steel which rusts. Main doors need minimum 3 hinges. Heavy wooden doors need 4 hinges. Use concealed hinges for a clean look on interior doors.
Door stoppers
Floor-mounted or wall-mounted door stoppers prevent door handles from hitting walls. A simple item often missed that prevents expensive wall damage.
Weather stripping
Rubber or silicone weather strips on external doors prevent rain ingress, reduce dust and improve thermal insulation. Replace every 5–8 years.
Homekrate recommendation
Basic
Main door: Steel or sal wood. Interior: Plywood flush. Windows: Aluminium.
Cost-effective and reliable. Suitable for budget residential projects.
Standard
Main door: Teak. Interior: WPC for bathrooms, plywood flush elsewhere. Windows: UPVC.
Our default. Best combination of performance, durability and aesthetics.
Premium
Main door: Teak with digital lock. Interior: Teak veneer flush. Windows: UPVC with double glazing.
Maximum performance. Double glazing for noise reduction and thermal insulation.
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